Machine for folding, assembling and securing a captive cap



June 14, 1966 F. ZABRO KI ETAL 3,255,519

MACHINE FOR FOLDING, ASSEMBLY AND SECURING A CAPTIVE CAP Filed Aug. 5, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Illll INVENTQR5 Frank Z abroskl 6' BY g/thard NOVCLQ ATIORNE Y J1me 1965 F. ZABROSKI ETAL 3,255,519

MACHINE FOR FOLDING, ASSEMBLY AND SECURING A CAPTIVE CAP Filed Aug. 5, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 32 Ili Zi 56 g INVENTORS 5125 hZaZ/roski 5 1C a Novaka 2062/ J r Dona/d P 6555;?

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,255,519 MACHINE FOR FOLDING, ASSEMBLING AND SECURING A CAPTIVE CAP Frank Zabroski, Convent Station, Richard F Novak, High Bridge, and Robert J. Krooss, Mountain Lakes, N.J., assignors to Simautics, Inc, Hillside, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Aug. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 387,136 4 Claims. (Cl. 22-208) This invention relates to automatic machinery for folding, assembling and securing a two-part flexible, plastic, captive cap so that one of the parts fits over the other part. In particular, the invention relates to piston-operated machinery tor grasping captive caps by the web and drawing the two main portions together to force them into engagement.

It has become common practice in recent years to provide two-part captive caps of polyethylene plastic material for various kinds of containers. One of the parts fits upon the end of the neck of the container, which may be a bottle or a can, and forms an extension of the neck with a lip that acts thereafter as the pouring spout for the container. Attached to this first part by means of a slender integral web, or thong, is a second part which is actually the closure member to seal the pouring spout.

The term captive is derived from the fact that the closure member, being attached by the web, is not easily lost but remains with the pouring spout.

In using captive caps it is customary to fold the closure member upon the pouring spout prior to attachment of the latter to the container. The reason is that frequently the container is already filled with liquid or, in some instances, dry powdered material that must not be allowed to spill out, as might happen if the closure member had to be folded upon the pouring spout section after the latter had been attached to the container. The closure member may be folded over and attached to the pouring spout by hand, but to do so is relatively laborious and therefore expensive, which is something that cannot be tolerated in the industries that make the greatest use of captive caps.

In accordance with the present invention, captive caps are rfed along a track to an assembly of bending cams. The machine is provided with a reciprocating hook or finger mechanism that grasps the web of each of the captive caps in turn and draws it between suitably shaped cam jaws'. The closure member and the pouring spout are guided by the jaws so that they are aligned and pressed together to force the closure to fit precisely upon the end of the pouring spout. Thereafter, the web is disengaged from the hook, and the closed cap is diverted away from the cam.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a simple, automatic, captive cap folding and closing machine. Other objects will become apparent from the following specification, together with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a captive cap;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the machine ofthe present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the hook and cam mechanism of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional top view of the hook and cam mechanism of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 shows the throat of the cam assembly of FIG. 2.

The captive cap 11 in FIG. 1 is of conventional form and includes a pouring spout section 12 having a pouring spout :13 and an attachment section I14 to be inserted into the neck of any suitable container. At one section of the edge of the pouring spout section 12 is a web 16.,

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the other end of which is attached to a closure member '17 that fits upon the pouring spout 13 when the Web is folded, as indicated in dotted lines in the drawing. The cap 11 may be made of any suitable material, such as a polyethylene plastic.

The machine in FIG. 2 comprises a vibrating table feeder 18 of a well-known type, which includes a vibratory member within a housing 19. Atop the housing 19 is a vibrating table 21 supported, in part, by a leg 20 and surrounded by a fence 22 to form a space within which a plurality of captive caps 11 may be placed. The purpose of the feeder 18 is simply to supply properly oriented caps one after another to a track 23. In this drawing the caps are aligned with the pouring spout sections 12 uppermost and facing in one direction. The webs 16, which are hidden from view in FIG. 2, fit into a slot 24 in the track 23. While the track .23 is shown inclined in this embodiment, it should be understood that the caps can be moved along it by other means than gravity. For example, an air hose 26 may be used to assist gravity in pushing the caps 11 along the track 23, or may be used as the sole motive force, in which case the track 23 may be horizontal.

At the exit end of the track 23 is a gate (not shown in this figure) and a folding mechanism 27 which is tilted so as to be aligned with the track. Detection means, which may include a micro-switch or, as in this case, a light 28 and a photocell 29, controls the folding mechanism so that it will operate only when .a cap is in place to be folded.

At the other end of the mechanism 27 from the track 23 is a fluid-operated cylinder 31 having a piston (not shown) attached to a connecting rod 32. The latter is coupled to a hook, to be described later, to move it back and forth as the piston is driven back and tor-thin the cylinder 31. A micro-switch 33 ope-rates a valve 34 for the fluid, which is usually air, to reverse the pressure in the cylinder when the piston nears its most retracted position, thereby causing the movement of the piston to stop with a cushioned efiect rather than with a jolt. The piston immediately begins to move in the reverse direction until another m-i-crocwitch 86 is actuated by the hook mechanism to operate the valve 34 to reverse the air pressure in the cylinder and retract the piston.

FIG. 3 shows the hook and folding cam mechanism separately. In this figure a cap 11 is located just beyond the end of the track 23 and directly in front of a cam comprising an upper section 38 and a lower section 39 held together by side pieces 40 and 41. A hook 42 slides back and forth between these cam sections and is attached to the connecting rod 32 to move along with the air-driven piston. The hook 42 has a finger 43 separated from the main body of the hook by a slot 44 which, at the leftward end of motion of the hook, as viewed in this figure, is directly alignedwith the slot 24 in the track 23 so that the web 16 can slide right into the slot 44. Adjacent to the finger 43 is an opening 46 into which the pouring spout 12 and the closure member 17 can fit as they are folded together.

It should be noted that the orientation of the caps 11 on the track 23 is such that the pouring spouts 13 and the open ends of the closure members 17 face away from the cam sections 38 and 39. This permits the curved cam surfaces to push the pouring spout 12 and the closure member 17 of each cap together as the hook 42 moves the cap to the right. The closed caps are ejected behind the side piece 41 through exit slots. One of the folded caps is shown'in dotted lines in the exit position.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the hook 42 showing the arrangement of the finger 43 and the slot 44 in alignment with the slot 24 in the track 23. The end of the slot 44 is located so that the center line of the web 16 stops midway between two side cams 39a and 3% that guide the closure members into alignment with the pouring spouts as the hook 42 draws the caps into the open throat of the cams. At the rear of the cams, the Walls bend to one side, forcing the closed caps out of engagement with the finger 43 along the path indicated by the arrow 49 as the hook 42 follows the path of the arrow 50.

Also shown in this figure is a rod 51 which is pushed toward the cams by a spring 52 to serve as a gate to permit only one cap to enter the slot 44 at a time. Other forms of gates may be used, if desired, to achieve this end result.

FIG. is an end view looking into the throats of the cams. A cap is shown inside the cam structure at the narrowest part and completely closed. The pouring spout 13 is folded downward by the cam 38 and positioned centrally by the side cams 38a and 38b. At the same time the closure member 17 is folded upward by the cam 39 and is centered by the side cams 39a and 39b to fit precisely upon the pouring spout 13.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to only one embodiment, it will be under stood that the invention is not to be so narrowly convstrued but is, instead, to be interpreted as broadly as the following claims will permit.

What is claimed is:

1. A captive cap folding machine for folding, one after another, caps, each comprising a pouring spout, a closure member shaped to fit on said pouring'spout, and a web joining said pouring spout and said closure member, said machine comprising: a track for aligning said caps; means for feeding caps in uniform order onto said track with each of said closure members facing in one direction substantially perpendicular to said track; a gate at the exit end of said track to hold each of said caps in turn; a finger mechanism comprising a finger extending toward said track and movable into alignment therewith; means connected to said finger mechanism and to said gate to open the latter and release said caps one at a time onto said finger; said finger being placed to engage the web of each of said caps in turn; first and second folding, assembling and securing jaw members, each havinga surface in the shape of a cam, on opposite sides of the path of motion of said finger, each of said jaw members having a distended entrance and a converging section, the converging section of said first jaw member fitting the exterior portion of said closure member and the converging section of said second jaw member fitting said pouring spout, said converging sections being in alignment to force said closure member onto said pouring spout as said finger draws the web of each of said caps in turn through the space between said jaw members, at least one of said jaw members having a bend therein to divert the folded caps away from said finger as said finger continues its motion away from said gate.

2. A machine for holding captive caps, each of said caps comprising a' pouring spout having an end adapted to fit upon a container, a closure member adapted to fit upon said pouring spout, and a web joining said pouring spout to said closure member, said machine comprising: a track for aligning said caps; means for feeding said caps in uniform order onto said track with said end of each of said closure members facing in one direction substantially perpendicular to said track; a gate at the exit end of said track to hold each of said caps in turn; a finger mechanism comprising a finger movable into alignment with said track and pointing toward said track; means connected to said finger mechanism and to said gate to open said gate to permit each of said caps to pass, one at a time, into engagement with said finger whereby said finger grasps the web of each of said caps in turn, said mechanism comprising means to move said finger substantially in the direction toward which each of the ends of each of said caps pointed while on said track;

first and second folding, assembling and securing jaw members, each having a surface in the shape of a cam, on opposite sides of the path of motion of said finger, each of said jaw members having a distended entrance and a converging section, the converging section of said first jaw member fitting the exterior portion of said closure member and the converging section of said second jaw member fitting said end of said pouring spout, said converging sections being in alignment to force said closure member onto said pouring spout as said finger draws the web of each of said caps, in turn, through the space between said jaw members, at least one of said jaw members having a bend therein to divert the folded caps away from said finger as the finger continues its motion away from said gate.

3. A captive cap folding machine for folding plastic caps of the type having a closure member, a pouring spout, and a web joining said pouring spout and said closure member, said machine comprising: a track for aligning said caps; means for feeding said caps in uniform order on to said track with each closure member facing in one direction substantially perpendicular to said track; a gate at the exit end of said track to hold each of said caps in turn; a cylinder and a piston sliding therein;

a finger mechanism attached to said piston to move reciprocally therewith and comprising a guide member and a finger near the end of said guide member away from said piston and pointing toward said track and in alignment therewith at one end of the range of motion of said finger mechanism; means connecting said finger mechanism to said gate to open the latter each time said finger moves into position to receive a cap, the web of each of said caps in turn engaging said finger to be pulled thereby; first and second folding, assembling and securing jaw members, each having a rounded surface in the shape of a cam, on opposite sides of the path of motion of said finger, each of said jaw members having a distended entrance into which said finger draws each of said caps in turn, and a converging section, the converging section of said first jaw member fitting said closure member and the converging section of said second jaw members fitting said pouring spout, said converging sections being in alignment to force said closure member on to said pouring spout as said finger draws the web of each of said caps, in turn, through the space between said jaw members, at least one of said jaw members having means associated therewith to divert the folded caps away from said finger as said finger continues its motion away from said gate.

4. A machine for folding captive caps, each of said caps comprising a pouring spout, a closure member fitting on said pouring spout when folded, and a web joining said closure member to said pouring spout, said machine comprising: a track for aligning said caps; air-pressure means for feeding said caps in uniform order on to said track with each of the closure members facing in one direction substantially perpendicular to said track; a gate at the exit end of said track to hold each of said caps in turn; a cylinder and a piston sliding therein; a finger mechanism attached to said piston to move reciprocally therewith in a direction substantially perpendicular to said track, said mechanism comprising a guide member and a finger near the end of said member away from said piston, said finger pointing toward said track and in alignment therewith at one end of the reciprocating motion of said finger mechanism; means connecting said finger mechanism to said gate to open the latter each time said finger moves into position to receive a cap, said caps moving, one at a time, through said gate in position such that the web of each of said caps is engaged by said finger; first and second folding, assembling and securing jaw members, each having a rounded surface in the shape of a cam, on opposite sides of the path of motion of said finger away from said gate, each of said jaw members having a distended entrance and a converging section,

the converging section of said first jaw member fitting the exterior portion of said closure member and the converging section of said second jaw member fitting said pouring spout, said converging sections being in alignment to force said closure member on to said pouring spout as said finger pulls the web of each of said caps in turn through the space between said jaw members, means in the path of motion of said finger mechanism to divert the folded caps away from said finger as said finger mechanism continues its motion away from said gate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1961 Andrew 29-211 9/ 1963 Porcelli 29208 

1. A CAPTIVE CAP FOLDING MACHINE FOR FOLDING, ONE AFTER ANOTHER, CAPS, EACH COMPRISING A POURING SPOUT, A CLOSURE MEMBER SHAPED TO FIT ON SAID POURING SPOUT, AND A WEB JOINING SAID POURING SPOUT AND SAID CLOSURE MEMBER, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING: A TRACK FOR ALIGNING SAID CAPS; MEANS FOR FEEDING CAPS IN UNIFORM ORDER ONTO SAID TRACK WITH EACH OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBERS FACING IN ONE DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID TRACK; A GATE AT THE EXIT END OF SAID TRACK TO HOLD EACH OF SAID CAPS IN TURN; A FINGER MECHANISM COMPRISING A FINGER EXTENDING TOWARD SAID TRACK AND MOVABLE INTO ALIGNMENT THEREWITH; MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID FINER MECHANISM AND TO SAID GATE TO OPEN THE LATTER AND RELEASE SAID CAPS ONE AT A TIME ONTO SAID FINGER; SAID FINGER BEING PLACED TO ENGAGE THE WEB OF EACH OF SAID CAPS IN TURN; FIRST AND SECOND FOLDING, ASSEMBLING AND SECURING JAW MEMBERS, EACH HAVING A SURFACE IN THE SHAPE OF A CAM, ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PATH OF MOTION OF SAID FINGER, EACH OF SAID JAW MEMBERS HAVING A DISTENDED ENTRANCE AND A CONVERGING SECTION, THE CONVERGING SECTION OF SAID FIRST JAW MEMBER FITTING THE EXTERIOR PORTION OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBER AND THE CONVERGING SECTION OF SAID SECOND JAW MEMBER FITTING SAID POURING SPOUT, SAID CONVERGING SECTIONS BEING IN ALIGNMENT TO FORCE SAID CLOSURE MEMBER ONTO SAID POURING SPOUT AS SAID FINGER DRAWS THE WEB OF EACH OF SAID CAPS IN TURN THROUGH THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID JAW MEMBERS, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID JAW MEMBERS HAVING A BEND THEREIN TO DIVERT THE FOLDED CAPS AWAY FROM SAID FINGER AS SAID FINGER CONTINUES ITS MOTION AWAY FROM SAID GATE. 